Container



Slept- 30, 1952 A. P. KLAslNG Erm.' 2,612,305

' f I l f5 v "I I" vI ne "3 Flo. 4 M; W0

THEIR ATTORNEYS Sept. 30, 1952 A. P. KLAslNG ErAL 2,612,305

' CONTAINER Filed 001". l2, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 THEIR ATTO RNEYS Sept. 30, 1952 A. P. KLASING ETAL 2,612,305

CONTAINER Patented Sept. 30, 1952 CONTAINER,

Arthur P. Klasing, Webster Groves, and Benjamin M. Williams, St. Louis,` Mo., assignors to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maryland v Application October l2, 1949, Serial No. 121,il22Y This` application is a ,continuation in part of our pending application Serial No.' 643,339, filed January 25, 1946, for patent for Container, now abandoned. l v

This invention relates to a container having sideand endvwalls and a bottom as essential componentjparts or portions forming the container, and the'invention is more particularly directed to' a new reinforced wall structure, the reinev forcingbeing preferably at the upper .portion of l the wall or walls and one or more of which walls' may have a handhole therein disposed belowlthe v upper marginal edgeof the wall and adjacent the new reinforced wallstructure.` Further, a lower edgev portion of the reinforcing structure may be, and preferably is, substantially in alignment with the upper edgeof the handhole or handholes. The invention also consists of a new completely preformed, lsubstantially at blank including component parts or portions thereof,

whichv when yfolded results in the new reine forced wall structure.

Thisinvention further lrelates, in amore specific sense, to multiple trip flbreboard bottle containers, designed for service life of fifteen or more return trips fory reloading. Containers of this class comprise a bottom panel, side walls 'with` hinged half-cover panels along the upper marginsthereof and end wall panels withhandholes therethrough for lifting and handling lthe container. Such heavy' duty service demands highly rigid and substantial construction throughout, including the end wall panels which are subject to excessive heavy outward endwise deiiection,v

as well as vertical stacking stresses. Containers of this class are usually lifted and carried when loadedwith beverages by grasping one end only bythe 1handhole whereby the entire .weight is borne by the portion of the end wall panel atand abovethe handhole.

One object of the invention is to provide a container of ;the `class described with end walls formed from a blank having novel scores. or

creases therein, yshaped and positioned relative to one another and to the handholes therein to' form a solid three-ply reinforced structure above the handholes to the upper edge of the end wall panel.k When assembled by folding an upper pory tionof an upper marginal flap of the end blank, inwardly about one score atwise against a lower section defined by a second score and then folding the two face to face plies thus formed, inwardly about the second score into engagement with an adjacent wall portion thus providing thethree-ply reinforced structure with a lower v 5 Claims.' (Cl. 229-23) partuof the structure in horizontal alignment with the upper edge of the handholes.

Another object ofthe invention is to providel a container having side and end walls and a new reinforcing structure for one or more ofthe said walls vand wherein the reinforcing structure is preferably at the upper portion of a Wall or Walls and one or more of such walls may have a handholetherein, anda lower edge portion of the reinforcing structure may be and preferably is substantially in alignment with the upper edge of the vhandhole or handholes, and also a new blank from which the said reinforcing structure is formed. d

Another object is to provide the end wall panel with a downturned fold of breboard terminat-vv ing in a relative wide plane perpendicular with the end wall panel in accurate alignment with the upper edge of the handholetherein, a plane surface parallel tothe end wall panel in atwise contact therewith, having a solid inwardly projecting rigid rib of about three times the thickness of the fibreboard. i

Another object is to provide 'an end wall pane for containers of the class described with a reinforcementjon the inner'side thereof, extending from lthe upper edge of the end panel to the upper edge of the handhole therein, constructed of an extension of the end panel foldedabout'two horizontal scores having grooves and ribs of such width, contour, and relation of median lines and spacing "to each other and to the handhole as to form a solid reinforcing rib at the upper edge of the end panel enclosing the free end of the fold of the panel extension in abutting relation thereto, and a solid reinforcing inwardly projecting .rib in accurate register with the upperv edge of the handhole.

.Still .another object. is to provide the channels or grooves of the scores in theymarginal extension of the end wall panel for'containers of the class described with upper boundary lines deeper than the lower boundary lines thereof by an amount. that will result in invariable bending of the'breboard sharply and accurately along predetermined horizontal axes to form solid reinforcing rib elements at the upper edge of the end panel and the uppervedge of the handhole.

Other objects are to provide tight solid folds which will eliminate roach pockets and facilitate eitherV manual or lautomatic machine stapling, gluing or otherwise attaching the folds to the end wall.

The invention consists in the container end'v wall structure and the end wall blank, and in the 3 construction, combinations and arrangements and parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view looking at the inner face of one of the end wall blanks. for a container embodying our invention, p

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the completely folded end wall blank,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container, with one of the upper corners thereof shown broken away, l v

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View on. the line 4-4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4,

As shown in the drawings, each end wall 3 has an upper marginal flap denoted in its entirety at I3 and includes a downwardly bent marginal flap or portion I4, which extends along the inner side of said end wall to the level of the upper edge of the handhole 4 therein, and an upwardly rebent portion l5 which lies between and in contacting relationship withap I4 and an adjacent portion of said end wall 3 for the full depth thereof. The lower edge of the folded upper marginal flap I4 of each end wall 3 is formed into Y a sol-id bulbous elongated flat reinforcing rib I6 Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line 6--6 in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 showing the covers. raised and their meeting fianges disengaged from. the notches in the end Walls,

Fig. 8 is a vertical crossfsectional view -on the line 8,--8 in Fig. '7,

Fig. 9is-a horizontal crosssectional view on the line 9-9 in Fig. '7, n

10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view on the line III-I0 in Fig. 7.,

Fig.y 1l isA an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the blank on the line I'i-II in Fig. 1,

Figs. 12., 13, 14 and i5. areenlarged sectional views similar to Fig. 11,: showing the contour of the scored portions along which the upper marginal flap of the end wall is progressively folded upon'itself andy against the inner face of said end wall,

Fig. 16 Iis a perspective view of the end wall blank looking atthe outer or. printed side or face thereof vand showing the position and shape of the scored portions and their relation to o ne another and to the handhole before folding,

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of an end wall blank providedwith a conventional score, y

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17, showing the.

end wallblank folded along such conventional score or crease in contrast to the corresponding foldshown in Fig. 13 resulting from the use of the specially designedcrease; and

Fig.` 19 is a` view similar. to Fig. l7,..showing the blank folded in reverse along the same conventional score orcrease in contrast to ythe corresponding fold shown in Fig. l5 resulting from thespecially designed crease.

In the accompanyingdrawings, our invention is shown embodied in a-'fibreboard container comprising a bottom I with upstanding end flanges 2, end walls 3 with horizontally elongated handholes 4 therethrough and side Walls 5 with end fianges' and hinged covers 1, each cover closing half of the containerand having a depending flange 8 along its free side edge and depending end .flanges 9. The end flanges 2 of the` bottom I and the end flanges E ofthe sidewalls 5 overlap and are rigidly secured `by staples I0 flatwiseto the outside faces of the end walls 3; and the end anges 9y of the hinged covers I in the closed position thereof overhang said. end walls along the upper margins thereof. Each end wall 3 has a transversel notch I2 in the top thereof midway of its horizontal transverse dimension and of a depth sufficient to receive and support the meeting side marginal flanges 8 of said covers in the closed position thereof.

having aconvexly curved surface IIa with a substantial portion [Iia of the rib I6 extending outwardly beyond the plane of the flap I4, and a flat bottom face Ib disposed flush with the upper spondingto the width of the overlapping end.

flange 6 of the adjacent. side wall 5, thereby -permitting the free end of the downturned portion Il, of said flap to be secured directly to said end wall opposite said end flanges by the securing staples Ill for the upper end thereof and thus eliminating an extra or fourth ply which would make the stapling operation more dimcult...

, As shown in Figs. 1, 11 and 16, .each end wall.

3 ofthe container is madefrom a fiberboard blank provided on its outer face with a creased or scored portion I1, which defines the upper marginal iiap I3 of the end wall and valong which said ap is folded to form the downturnedportion I 4 thereof, and on its inner face ,with a creased or scored portion I8 along which said nap is folded to form the upturned or rebent portion I5 of said flap. The blank has the .handhole 4 formed in the main body portion thereof and is also provided with a slot I2, which eX- `tends crosswise of the score IY'I midway of the length thereof, and at its upper edge with a notch I2", said slot and notch cooperating to form the notch I2 in the upper edge of the completely folded blank. Each of the scored portions I1 and I8 ofthe end wall blank comprises a groove I9 in one face of the blank and a wider fiat topped rib 20. on the other face thereof opposite said groove, the groove formed by the score I8 being "slightly wider than the groove formed by the score I.'I and the rib formed by the score I8 being considerably wider than the rib formed by the score I'I. As shown in the drawings, the groove formed by the scored portion I'I is formed in the outer face ofthe iiap I3 and the rib associated with said groove is Vformed on the inner face of said flap; andthe groove formed by the scored portion .I8 is located .in the inner face of the end Wall blank while the rib associated with said last mentioned groove is formed on the outer face of said blank. Each of the grooves I9 and I9 has flaring sides 2| of transversely convex curvature and is deepest along the side thereof located nearest to the free edge of the marginal nap I3. Along the deep `side of each groove I 9 and. I9', the iiaring side thereof has. a relatively steepslope that forms a relatively steep angle withthe bottom of the groove, while the flaring side of said groove along'the shallow side there- Y of hasr a relatively gradual slope that forms a relatively wide angle with the bottom of the groove. Each of the ribs 20v and 20' has substantially flat outer surfaces which merge into sloping sides, and the groove I9 associated with the rib '23 formed by the upper score I8 has its bottom offset laterally with respect thereto in the direction of the free edge of the flap I3 of said Aend wall'blank so as to provide a vlesser thickness ofboard along the deep side of said groove and an excess thickness of board along the shallow side thereof. f

With the outer face of end wall blank 3 disposed uppermost, as shown in Fig. 16, the free marginal portion I5 of the marginal flap I3 is folded downwardly and thence inwardly about creased or scored portion I8 iiatwise against the inner face of said Aflap I4. The effect on the specially shaped rib and groove portions formed by the score I8 is shown in progressive stages in Figs. 12 and 13. The contour of the scored porfolded inwardly and downwardly about th'e scoredl portion I'I flatwise against the inner face of the main body portion of the blank, as shown progressively in Figs. 14 and 15. The contour of the folded scored portion I1 in its nal assembled form is shown in Fig. 15 and showing the said flap I3 in substantial parallelism with the adjacent portion of wall 3 and further wherein the elongated solid marginal end edge reinforcing riby of said scored portion is compressed and disposed between the main body portion of the blank and the upper portion I4A of the flap I3 to just the thickness of the marginal portion I5 thereof, and the groove portion I9 of said scored portionlforms an upper edge for `the end wall 3 with rounded corners 22 and a flat top portion 23.

The distances between the upper edge of the handhole 4 and the median line of the groove I9 of score I1 and the deep side of the groove I9 of score I8 and from the deep side of the last mentioned groove i9 to the upper edge of marginal flap I3 are so related that upon comple` tion of the folding operation, portions I4 and I5 of the flap I3 are in flatwise contact with each other and portion I5 is in flatwise contact with the inner face of the end panel 3, with the upper edge of portion I5 abutting against the compressed rib 20 of the score I1 and with the flat bottom portion II'b of the bulbous ribl I6 formed by the rib 2U' of the folded scored portion IB in substantially horizontal alignment with the upper edge of handhole 4. These distances in the order described for board of 0.90 to 1.10" caliper, are in the ratio of 1.000:1.043:0.864. The ratio will vary slightly with board of greater or less caliper.

The result of this construction is to provide a strong, solid three-ply construction for end panel 3 from the upper edge of the handhole 4 to the rounded-corner, flat-topped upper edge of said end panel. This is the area which is subjected to the greatest strain in manually lifting, handling and transporting the container. Another important advantage of the construction is that due to the fiatwise relationship of portions I4 and I5 of the folded marginal flap I3 and the end panel 3, the box end may be readily and advantageously pre-assembled by the manufacturer istry with said handhole and approximate hori--V 6 by stapling or gluing the plies in their assembled position.

The assembled end panel utilizes the maximum strength properties of all three plies I4, I5 and 3 to form a rigid reinforcing structure capable of carrying a very high top load between the upper edge of the panel and the handhole and of correspondingly high resistance to endwise deflection due to its solid structure throughout.

None ofthe advantages of .the specially designed scores or creases accurately positioned with respect to each other and to the upper edge of handhole 4 and the free edge of flap I3 are possible of'attainment through the use of the conventional scores commonly employed in the industry. As illustrated in Figs. 17, 18 and 19, the conventional scores when folded normally and in reverse will never result in the flatwise relationship of the folded iiaps, thus making it impracticable to preassemble the end panel by automatic gluing machinery. More importantly, the board may break on either side of the groove or in an irregular diagonal from side to side of both regular and reverse scores so that the register of the bulbous fold adjacent to the inner side of the.,upper edge of the handhole may vary over prohibitively widel distances and require manual manipulationvto effect even a fair degree of regzontal fold ofthe marginal flap at the upper edge of said end wall. Because of vthe spaces betweenl strength whatever to the` panel since it is free to move over a considerable distance and furthermore does notabut with the rib'of scored portionIS.

The hereinbefore described container construction has several important advantages.4 The upper marginal iiap I3. of each end wall panel is folded uponfitself and against the inner face of 1 end wall 3 withv avery high degree of precision due to the unique shape of both the ribs 20 and 20 and grooves I9 and I9 of the scored portions I'I and I8 respectively of the end wall blank and their location with respect to one another and to the handhole 4 and the free edge of depending ply I4. When the folded blank flap I3 of the end wall 3 is folded into its final position the flat bottom portion Ib of the bulbous rib I E at the lower edge of the fold invariably registers with the upper edge of the handhole 4 and the three-ply fold may be quickly and easily secured to the inner face of theend wall panel by staples, glue or other means, so as to cooperate therewith to provide a strong and solid triple wall construction above the handhole. The thick solid rib I 6 at the lower edge of the fold serves to add further strength and rigidity. to the end wall at the level of the top edge of the handhole where the greatest strength is needed and provides a smooth, wide grip for the fingers when they are inserted in said handhole to manually handle or lift the container.` The shape and depth of the'grooves I9 and I9 of the scored portions I1 and I8 respectively are so designed as to permit suicient bottom surface 'IGP ush with the upper edge of I the handhole 4. The solid folded construction makes it easy to glue, staple or otherwise secure thefolded upper marginal flap I3 of the end wall 3 fiatwise to the inner face thereof and to the end, flanges 6 to the side walls 5 of the container. Asa result of the unique design of scores l1 and l8,.foldin'g of the end wall panel naps requires no manual manipulation whatsoever to eiect the proper accurate registry-andis admirably adapted to automatic machine operation.

What we claimist' f l. A wall for a container comprising a main body portion. having'an upper folded marginal fiap including a rebent portion folded therefrom, the marginal. nap d'ening an upper4 marginal edge, the rebent portion engaging the inner side of the marginal iiap and an adjacent upper end portion 'of 4thewall, thev flap, rebent portion and the end portion of the Wall being in substantial parallelism, an elongated solid flap reinforcing rib formed by and part'of the fold of the nap and the. rebent portion, a. substantial portion of thev tion being in' abutting 'relationship with the end edge reinforcing rib, and meansftosecure Ithe flap and rebent portion together and to the wall.

2. A' container as defined-irland by claim 1 wherein' the fiap and rebent portion are in contacting relationship throughout, and the rebent portion also contacts the adjacent wall portion throughout. i

3;'A container as defined in and by claim 1" wherein thewall isy provided with a handhole" having an upper edge, and a lower portion ofthe flap reinforcingrib is aligned with the' upper edge of the handhole, thereby reinforcing the handhole and providing a smooth gripping surface. l

4. A substantially fiat paperboard Wall blank. for a container comprising a one-piece Wall por-- tion, iiap, and rebendable portion, the iiap and rebendable portion extending from an edge of the wall portion-and in the same plane therewith, inner and outer spaced-apart foldable score lines dening the ap and rebendable portion, the inner score line presenting an inner groove on one face of the blank and a rib on the other face thereof, the outer scoreline presenting a rib on the said one face at the juncture of thev flap and rebendable portion and a groove on the said other face at the juncture of the flap and the rebendable portion, the width of the inner groove and vrib being less than the Width of theouter groove and rib, and the bottoms of the grooves being oppositely inclined with respect to the.

plane of the blank, and with the deepest portions of the bottoms of each groove facing toward the rebendable portion.

5. A wan mank as deemed in and by 1mm i` wherein the bottom of the groove of said outer score is offset laterally with respect to the grib portion of said score in the direction of the rebendable portion of said blank. I

, ARTHUR P. KLASING BEN. M. WILLIAMS.y

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Glasscoff, Jr., et al. Oct. v29, 1946 

